DC Pump Cable Extension

Darth_Tater · 09/07/2016, 10:19 AM

I recently purchased a Deepwater Aquatics BLDC10 for a new system I'm setting up. The pump is going to be in the basement but I want the controller upstairs with the display tank. I'm afraid the cable going from the controller to the pump is going to be too short. Does anyone know if they make extension cables?

If not, does anyone know where I can get those type of connectors? I'm assuming the four pins in it are Power, Return, and shields/guards for both. There may have been a diagram in the instruction book, I'll have to check again when I get home. It wouldn't be hard to make a couple foot cable extension if I could find the connectors.

Thanks for any ideas!

mcgyvr · 09/07/2016, 10:59 AM

Assuming its a 4 pin circular connector like on the jebao units then they do sell ends on ebay,etc..
Contact deepwater to see if they sell an extension or purchase the ends and roll your own..

Might be like this..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pairs-4Pin-...-/172008808458

Darth_Tater · 09/07/2016, 05:09 PM

Hmm, those might work. These ones are metal. I'll go try and find a picture.

Darth_Tater · 09/07/2016, 05:19 PM

Looking more closely, I don't think the threads are the same. Looking at the website more closely, those ones are only rated for 3 amps. This pump will pull up to 3.3 amps. Guess I'll ask customer service (if I can find it...). Thanks anyways!

mcgyvr · 09/08/2016, 05:13 AM

Oh.. pic helps..
Ebay.. search "4 pin aviation connector"

or even better "gx16 4 cable"
I think its that size..

Darth_Tater · 09/12/2016, 08:21 AM

Thanks again for the suggestions. I can't access ebay from work and I didn't get a chance to look over the weekend. I'll update this if I find them!

BigDave · 09/13/2016, 08:00 AM

Personally? I'd just clip the cord and extend the stock one with solder/shrink tubing.

mcgyvr · 09/13/2016, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDave

Personally? I'd just clip the cord and extend the stock one with solder/shrink tubing.

yep.. always an option too..

Darth_Tater · 09/13/2016, 10:23 AM

I found a couple on ebay last night but in order to get an actual cable I have to order from China. I first need to double check that the cable layout is the same. For a DC pump I'd imagine there would only be two power lines, the others would be shields/guards. Unless they split the power lines for higher current capacity. I think there was a pin layout in the booklet that comes with the pump.

sleepydoc · 09/13/2016, 12:19 PM

It shouldn't matter for a straight extension cable, as long as the wires go straight through (and they're big enough)

Edit - another potential issue with the wire size is that you will have a larger voltage drop over a longer run. Whether that's significant or not depends on the amperage of the pump

Darth_Tater · 09/13/2016, 02:49 PM

Hmm. This makes me think again I should contact Customer Service before going any further. Will the voltage drop be enough to cause problems in the controller? Normally I'd say no, but these DC pumps seem to have overheating problems when operating normally. The Deepwater Aquatics controllers have a large heatsink, but is it enough to handle a larger than normal voltage drop?

Thanks for the thoughts! Hope I don't end up needing to add a fan to the controller.

As for the cables, I just don't want to have a shielded cable becoming useless because I don't use a shielded extension cable. Shouldn't be a huge deal since I can't imagine my house being a very noisy electromagnetic environment, but still...

Gorgok · 09/13/2016, 03:39 PM

The controller shouldn't care about the extra cable. Its switching what goes out the line, not what appears at the pump. The pump will be running at a slightly reduced voltage is all. The drop on 10 feet of 18AWG cable at 3A is still only about 0.38V. Which means its dissipating about 1.15 watts. I wouldn't worry about that one bit.

jackny · 09/14/2016, 01:50 PM

Might be like this.....http://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pairs-2Pin-...EAAOSwp5JWUxqb

mcgyvr · 09/14/2016, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackny

Might be like this.....http://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pairs-2Pin-...EAAOSwp5JWUxqb

See post #2.. Similar ones were already suggested.. Then the thread starter included a picture showing they are aviation style metal circular connectors..

Darth_Tater · 09/14/2016, 06:20 PM

Well, I thought wrong. There is no pin diagram in the included documentation. I just sent an email asking if they sell extension cables and if not if they'd tell me if it's 2 shielded wires or 4 wires. That sentence needed more ifs.

I'll update when (IF, with my usual customer service experiences...) I get a response.

Darth_Tater · 09/14/2016, 06:21 PM

Wow, I said I'd look for that diagram a week ago. Good to see I'm on top of things!

sleepydoc · 09/14/2016, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gorgok

The controller shouldn't care about the extra cable. Its switching what goes out the line, not what appears at the pump. The pump will be running at a slightly reduced voltage is all. The drop on 10 feet of 18AWG cable at 3A is still only about 0.38V. Which means its dissipating about 1.15 watts. I wouldn't worry about that one bit.

Agreed - you probably don't need to worry about it, but without knowing the specs of the wire and the voltage/amperage of the pump, it's difficult to say for sure. I've seen some cables with pathetically small wires. If it's a 60W pump at 12V it could be drawing 5 amps. 5 Amps through an 18g wire will drop about 0.64V or 5%. If it's a 22g wire, the drop would be 1.6V or 13%, which may cause an issue.

I don't know what voltage these pumps run at, so all this is just a guess. Just make sure your cable is not undersized!

BigDave · 09/15/2016, 06:50 AM

The easiest way to figure that out would be to just slap at kill a watt meter on the pump and run it up to 100%. Whatever the AC amp draw is would be a somewhat good representation of what the pump is drawing... understanding that the controller is a part of that draw as well.

I go back to cutting the stock wire and extending it yourself. Then you get to pick what size wire you want to make your extension out of.

I'd go back and take a look at why you're wanting to put the controller in the cabinet and see if there's another way to meet that need without extending the cable. I know once my return pump is dialed in, I'm not messing with the controller.

If you're wanting it so that you can turn the pump off to feed, then take a look at remote switches or other ways of turning the pump off remotely.

Darth_Tater · 09/15/2016, 07:11 AM

These pumps run at 24 VDC and this one in particular can draw up to 3.3 ADC according to the specs

sleepydoc · 09/15/2016, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth_Tater

These pumps run at 24 VDC and this one in particular can draw up to 3.3 ADC according to the specs

In that case you should be good.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Darth_Tater · 09/15/2016, 11:30 AM

Wow, Chris in Customer Service delivered big time! He actually cut a cable open and took pictures for me.

I forgot that this pump uses a brushless DC motor. So inside the cable is 3 wires. Ordering a Chinese extension cable with all 4 wires populated should work with no problem. I haven't decided yet if I will do that or just order a set of connectors and run my own cable. I'll have to check my connector when I get home to determine which pin doesn't connect to a wire. I believe it's pin 4 looking at the keying, but I'll double check when I can look at mine.

Darth_Tater · 09/15/2016, 11:33 AM

Oops, I have a picture of mine posted above! It is definitely pin 4 that's empty.

09/07/2016, 10:19 AM	#1
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	DC Pump Cable Extension I recently purchased a Deepwater Aquatics BLDC10 for a new system I'm setting up. The pump is going to be in the basement but I want the controller upstairs with the display tank. I'm afraid the cable going from the controller to the pump is going to be too short. Does anyone know if they make extension cables? If not, does anyone know where I can get those type of connectors? I'm assuming the four pins in it are Power, Return, and shields/guards for both. There may have been a diagram in the instruction book, I'll have to check again when I get home. It wouldn't be hard to make a couple foot cable extension if I could find the connectors. Thanks for any ideas!

09/08/2016, 05:13 AM	#5
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Oh.. pic helps.. Ebay.. search "4 pin aviation connector" or even better "gx16 4 cable" I think its that size.. __________________ Who me?

09/13/2016, 12:19 PM	#10
sleepydoc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,907	DC Pump Cable Extension It shouldn't matter for a straight extension cable, as long as the wires go straight through (and they're big enough) Edit - another potential issue with the wire size is that you will have a larger voltage drop over a longer run. Whether that's significant or not depends on the amperage of the pump __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 120 gallon, coast to coast overflow w/beananimal overflow. Waveline DC 10000 II return pump, 40 gal sump, Octopus XS200 skimmer, T5 lighting Last edited by sleepydoc; 09/13/2016 at 12:39 PM.

09/14/2016, 01:50 PM	#13
jackny Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Prag Posts: 12	DC Pump Cable Extension Might be like this.....http://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pairs-2Pin-...EAAOSwp5JWUxqb

09/07/2016, 10:59 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Assuming its a 4 pin circular connector like on the jebao units then they do sell ends on ebay,etc.. Contact deepwater to see if they sell an extension or purchase the ends and roll your own.. Might be like this.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pairs-4Pin-...-/172008808458 __________________ Who me?

09/07/2016, 05:09 PM	#3
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Hmm, those might work. These ones are metal. I'll go try and find a picture.

09/07/2016, 05:19 PM	#4
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Looking more closely, I don't think the threads are the same. Looking at the website more closely, those ones are only rated for 3 amps. This pump will pull up to 3.3 amps. Guess I'll ask customer service (if I can find it...). Thanks anyways!

09/12/2016, 08:21 AM	#6
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Thanks again for the suggestions. I can't access ebay from work and I didn't get a chance to look over the weekend. I'll update this if I find them!

09/13/2016, 08:00 AM	#7
BigDave Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wylie, TX Posts: 473	Personally? I'd just clip the cord and extend the stock one with solder/shrink tubing.

09/13/2016, 10:23 AM	#9
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	I found a couple on ebay last night but in order to get an actual cable I have to order from China. I first need to double check that the cable layout is the same. For a DC pump I'd imagine there would only be two power lines, the others would be shields/guards. Unless they split the power lines for higher current capacity. I think there was a pin layout in the booklet that comes with the pump.

09/13/2016, 02:49 PM	#11
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Hmm. This makes me think again I should contact Customer Service before going any further. Will the voltage drop be enough to cause problems in the controller? Normally I'd say no, but these DC pumps seem to have overheating problems when operating normally. The Deepwater Aquatics controllers have a large heatsink, but is it enough to handle a larger than normal voltage drop? Thanks for the thoughts! Hope I don't end up needing to add a fan to the controller. As for the cables, I just don't want to have a shielded cable becoming useless because I don't use a shielded extension cable. Shouldn't be a huge deal since I can't imagine my house being a very noisy electromagnetic environment, but still...

09/13/2016, 03:39 PM	#12
Gorgok Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 1,904	The controller shouldn't care about the extra cable. Its switching what goes out the line, not what appears at the pump. The pump will be running at a slightly reduced voltage is all. The drop on 10 feet of 18AWG cable at 3A is still only about 0.38V. Which means its dissipating about 1.15 watts. I wouldn't worry about that one bit.

09/14/2016, 06:20 PM	#15
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Well, I thought wrong. There is no pin diagram in the included documentation. I just sent an email asking if they sell extension cables and if not if they'd tell me if it's 2 shielded wires or 4 wires. That sentence needed more ifs. I'll update when (IF, with my usual customer service experiences...) I get a response.

09/14/2016, 06:21 PM	#16
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Wow, I said I'd look for that diagram a week ago. Good to see I'm on top of things!

09/15/2016, 06:50 AM	#18
BigDave Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wylie, TX Posts: 473	The easiest way to figure that out would be to just slap at kill a watt meter on the pump and run it up to 100%. Whatever the AC amp draw is would be a somewhat good representation of what the pump is drawing... understanding that the controller is a part of that draw as well. I go back to cutting the stock wire and extending it yourself. Then you get to pick what size wire you want to make your extension out of. I'd go back and take a look at why you're wanting to put the controller in the cabinet and see if there's another way to meet that need without extending the cable. I know once my return pump is dialed in, I'm not messing with the controller. If you're wanting it so that you can turn the pump off to feed, then take a look at remote switches or other ways of turning the pump off remotely.

09/15/2016, 07:11 AM	#19
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	These pumps run at 24 VDC and this one in particular can draw up to 3.3 ADC according to the specs

09/15/2016, 11:30 AM	#21
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Wow, Chris in Customer Service delivered big time! He actually cut a cable open and took pictures for me. I forgot that this pump uses a brushless DC motor. So inside the cable is 3 wires. Ordering a Chinese extension cable with all 4 wires populated should work with no problem. I haven't decided yet if I will do that or just order a set of connectors and run my own cable. I'll have to check my connector when I get home to determine which pin doesn't connect to a wire. I believe it's pin 4 looking at the keying, but I'll double check when I can look at mine.

09/15/2016, 11:33 AM	#22
Darth_Tater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 535	Oops, I have a picture of mine posted above! It is definitely pin 4 that's empty.